Apple World

Grab the popcorn. Dim the lights. But forget about DVDs or on demand--the smartest, cheapest way to enjoy a treasure trove of high-def movies and TV is streaming them from your Mac, iPad, or iPhone. Our in-depth guide makes setup a cinch no matter how you tune in.

Cable and satellite are so last century. These days, the smartest--and cheapest--way to watch movies and TV is streaming them from your Mac or iDevice to that fancy TV in your living room. After all, you’re already paying for broadband, so why shell out even more to Comcast or DirecTV when that same content’s just waiting for you out there in the intertubes?

But we understand that the phrase “streaming” comes with some baggage. If you haven’t set up streaming video before, it might seem complicated, and since we last covered this topic about a year ago, there are only more services, websites, and hardware for you to sift through.

So we’re here to simplify everything with this extensive guide to getting streaming up and running quickly and painlessly. We begin with the hardware and wires needed to make your Mac or iDevice play nice with your TV, then dive into an overview of streaming services and options. For dessert, we’re serving a way to mount your iMac on your wall for use as a lovely all-in-one TV and computer. Tiny apartment, big mansion--however you live, we’re here to make your movie and TV watching easier, cheaper, and cutting edge.

Video Streaming 101

Streaming video can mean so many things, but when you set it up right, it means fast, free, or cheap access to virtually anything you’d care to watch. If it’s all a bit Greek to you, we’re kicking off with a refresher on the basics.

Streaming video is trendy, but it’s hot for a reason. After some painless setup on gear you already own, you can unlock a world of high-def movies and TV that range from free to cheap. But even if you don’t know the difference between HTML5 and VOD, you can still leave your cable or satellite provider in the dust. For anyone who has not yet begun to stream, let’s touch on the basics.


Streaming video is every bit as cool as a double rainbow.

Simply put, “streaming” applies to any video you’re watching that isn’t stored on your hard drive--that goes for movies beamed to your browser or from your iMac in the home office to the MacBook in your living room. But it’s over the web where on-demand delivery has taken root and given sites such as Hulu and YouTube an immediate way of delivering everything from the latest movies to last night’s episode of The Closer to, yes, umpteen million LOL cat videos right to your living room.

All you really need is a broadband internet connection and a Mac. For starters, you’ll want to broadcast that broadband connection throughout your home using a wireless router. Apple’s 802.11n Airport Extreme is one of the best options for HD video, and its ease of setup is worth the premium $179 price tag--your network will be up and running before you can say “Hulu.” (Really, a few clicks is all it takes.)


Apple does most of the heavy lifting for you.

With that out of the way, it’s smooth sailing...er, streaming...from here on out. Head on over to iTunes Preferences and turn on “Look for shared libraries” and “Share my library on my local network.” Repeat that step on all the Macs in your household, and now all your iTunes music, TV shows, and movies will flow between them over your Wi-Fi.

From here, a multitude of options opens up, and that’s where the rest of this story comes in. You can hook up an older, unused Mac directly to your TV (or spring for one of those lovely new Mac minis!) and pipe all this video straight to the best display in your house (see “Lights. Macs. Action!” on the next page). Whether you’re watching in your living room or on a Mac, there’s a wealth of streaming-video services that make it a cinch to enjoy the very best content, and we cover the best of those on page 4. Your iPhone and iPad can even get in on the action (page 3), or you may want to opt for a dedicated video-streaming device that connects to your TV, like a Boxee Box or Apple TV (page 5).


Two clicks stand between you and streaming goodness.

And remember, every Mac comes with Front Row (find it in your Applications folder), a nifty little application that turns your monitor or your TV into a gorgeous theater for all your iTunes content. Sites like Hulu will also play full-screen video without clunking up the show with menus and interfaces. Yup, streaming really is the best way to get your coach-potato time.